Another Black Friday for the DMK

A week after being politically battered in the assembly elections in southern state of Tamil Nadu, the graft-tainted Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam party suffered another major setback as an Indian court ordered the arrest of its senior leader for her alleged involvement in India’s biggest corruption scandal.

Rejecting the bail applications of Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, lawmaker and daughter of DMK chief M. Karunanidhi, and a corporate executive Sharad Kumar, the special court in New Delhi ordered they should be taken into custody with immediate effect, according to a Central Bureau of Investigation lawyer.

The 43-year old journalist-turned-member of Parliament Ms. Kanimozhi, whose name translates to “sweet language,” had been charged by the federal investigating agency of conspiring and accepting bribes to manipulate awarding of lucrative licenses in the allotment of mobile telephony spectrum in 2008.

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She has denied the charges as has Mr. Kumar. The lawyers for both could not be reached for comment.

DMK chief M. Karunannidhi said at a television press conference Friday that he was “sad at Kani’s (Kanimozhi) arrest”.

He said the party will hold a high-level meeting soon to discuss the next step. The party’s spokesman couldn’t be reached for immediate comment.

The duo will be sent to Delhi’s Tihar jail where they will join former telecom minister and senior DMK leader A. Raja, who also faces charges, which he denies, relating to the allotment. Also in the jail: Commonwealth Games’ Organizing Committee chief Suresh Kalmadi, who has been charged with financial irregularities during the mega sporting event held in New Delhi last October. He also denies wrongdoing.

The DMK party, a key coalition member of the ruling Congress-led government in the national government, has fallen from grace over the last few months after the arrest of Mr. Raja for allegedly rigging the telecom spectrum allocation process that a government auditor estimates cost the exchequer up to $39 billion in potential revenue.

Last week, the party was severely beaten by the J. Jayalalithaa-led All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in assembly elections in Tamil Nadu.

Senior high court lawyer Mahesh Jethmalani said on television news channels Friday that Ms. Kanimozhi might be able to appeal the decision but, in his view, “the order seems too tough to be challenged.”

Minutes after the court pronounced the order, several DMK supporters present at the court broke down in tears, according to television reports.

Veteran journalist and political commentator B.G. Verghese said the DMK will be upset but the party doesn’t have many options.

“The DMK needs the central government’s assistance. As an alliance partner, the party can at least plead its case,” Mr. Verghese said.

However, he added the turn of events may also mean trouble for the ruling Congress party in New Delhi as the “opposition parties will raise a lot of hue and cry and demand exclusion of DMK from the ruling alliance at the center.”

A week after being politically battered in the assembly elections in southern state of Tamil Nadu, the graft-tainted Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam party suffered another major setback as an Indian court ordered the arrest of two of its senior leaders for their alleged involvement in India’s biggest corruption scandal.

Rejecting the bail applications of Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, lawmaker and daughter of DMK chief M. Karunanidhi, and another senior leader Sharad Kumar, the special court in New Delhi ordered they should be taken into custody with immediate effect, according to a Central Bureau of Investigation lawyer.

The 43-year old journalist-turned-member of Parliament Ms. Kanimozhi, whose name translates to “sweet language,” had been charged by the federal investigating agency of conspiring and accepting bribes to manipulate awarding of lucrative licenses in the allotment of mobile telephony spectrum in 2008.

She has denied the charges AS HAS KUMAR?? (Yes) WE NEED TO TRY TO REACH lawyers for BOTH. (Kanimozhi’s lawyer Ram Jethmalani and Sharad Kumar’s lawyer Vijay Agarwal could not be reached for comment)

DMK chief M. Karunannidhi said at a television press conference Friday that he was “sad about Kani’s (Kanimozhi) arrest”. He said the party will hold a high-level meeting soon to discuss the next step.

DMK spokesman couldn’t be reached.

The DMK duo will be sent to Delhi’s Tihar jail where they will join former telecom minister and senior DMK leader A. Raja, who also faces charges, which he denies, relating to the allotment. Also in the jail: Commonwealth Games’ Organizing Committee chief Suresh Kalmadi, who has been charged with WHAT? He also denies wrongdoing.

The DMK party, a key coalition member of the ruling Congress-led government in the national governmentr, has fallen from grace over the last few months after the arrest of Mr. Raja for allegedly rigging the telecom spectrum allocation process that a government auditor estimates cost the exchequer up to $39 billion in potential revenue.

Last week, the party was severely beaten by the J. Jayalalithaa-led All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in assembly elections in Tamil Nadu.

Senior high court lawyer Mahesh Jethmalani said on television news channels Friday that Ms. Kanimozhi might be able to appeal the decision but, in his view, “the order seems too tough to be challenged.”

Minutes after the court pronounced the order, several DMK supporters present at the court broke down in tears, according to television reports.

Veteran journalist and political commentator B.G. Verghese said the DMK will be upset but the party doesn’t have many options.

“The DMK needs the central government’s assistance. As an alliance partner, the party can at least plead its case,” Mr. Verghese said.

However, he added the turn of events may also mean trouble for the ruling Congress party in New Delhi as the “opposition parties will raise a lot of hue and cry and demand exclusion of DMK from the ruling alliance at the center.”

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